As some of you may know, its been a few challenging months in the Bearpit with antisocial behaviour issues rising. One thing we have learned over the years is that the only way to combat the bad is to do more good in the space.

We are big believers in the power of collaboration and community action, and this week we are going big!

Farmdrop join us this week in the Bearpit..

You may have noticed their ads on Bristol buses or around town giving out free apples. We sat down with Lizzie to give us the lowdown!

So, a little about Farmdrop....

Visit https://www.farmdrop.com/blog/tag/bristol/ to find out more

Our mission is to fix the food chain - it's in a right old mess at the moment - farmers aren't being paid properly, supermarkets are screwing everyone, food miles are insane, we don't have enough access to delicious, local food - the list goes on and on!

We connect small, local producers to consumers using a zero waste, environmentally friendly model. After creating a working model in London, we've taken the step to move to Bristol and knowing how many switched on foodies and amazing local producers there are, we hope to have the same success here as we have done in the capital.

Why we're good...

- We pay our local producers 75% of the profits (supermarkets pay around 40%)

- We deliver next day in electric vans

- We operate a click to harvest model - nothing is wasted - you order carrots, the farmer picks them from the ground and we deliver them to you & unpack straight into the fridge if you like!

- All our famers look after their land, their animals and the environment, creating a better world for everyone.

We want to run events in spaces focused on the community and we see a real fit with the Bear Pit & hope you do too!

Project HB started as a personal mission to get fit and get happier with how I felt about myself... and in 4 years it's gone from self-discovery to a fitness blog, to me qualifying as a fitness instructor. Now, Project HB is a range of classes and inspirational articles to inspire people to move more. I try to spread the message that moving your body can lead to all sorts of great things like better mood, better digestion, and a more confident feeling about yourself. It's all a lot of fun and I like to keep everything I preach real. Eat cake! Dance and sweat! Be grateful for life and make the most of it! (And try not to care too much what other people think about you, while you're doing those things).

What made you want to run a bootcamp session in the Bearpit?

I qualified as a fitness instructor in March and it was a dream come true. Then I got THE FEAR and started worrying about actually running classes - could I really do this? I mentioned this on Instagram and the phenomenal woman behind Bearpit Social got in touch asking if I'd like to collaborate. BearFit burst into life and we decided to further enhance the community spirit down in this brilliant, social space by bringing a weekly bootcamp to the Bearpit!

What's your favourite thing about the Bearpit?

Definitely the community. I like it a lot because it reminds me so much of my old home (Shoreditch) with its edginess and graffiti and social enterprise, but then it's got this incredible story and spirit which captures what Bristol is about. I am honestly still pinching myself that I'm working with the team and associated with this space!

What's your favourite thing about running these sessions?

I cannot stop smiling at the fact that people are willing to get up at the crack of dawn and come down for a session. I preach self-confidence but I'm only human, and the anxious little voice in my head gets to me every week and tells me that I'm being stupid and no one wants to come to one of my silly old classes... and then, every Tuesday morning, I pull myself together and march down to the Bearpit like a determined bear-cub... and every week people turn up, and they dance and sweat and we have a giggle and share some high-five action.

I am so grateful and so inspired by everyone, every week. It sounds cheesy but I can't tell you what a thrill it is to create something that makes people feel good :)

What's the worse myth regarding fitness / exercise?

I cannot abide anything that specifically pushes "weight loss". Yep, you can definitely lose weight - it takes determination and will-power, and when people put their mind to it and massively transform themselves, it is truly impressive.

But I think, to become truly body-confident and happy in your own skin, it starts with learning to love and respect your body, not by thinking you've got to make it "thin". And that means learning how it likes to move, and finding some form of exercise that makes you feel GREAT (seriously, does dieting make anyone feel great?) when you start to move in the way that works for you, you feel happier... you start to feel more positive about yourself... you start to want to look after your body... and you often lose weight as a result of all of these good feelings, because you're learning to like your brilliant body.

I often think that, unfortunately, when weight loss instead of feeling good in your body is the goal with your exercising, it skews everything and can make the whole experience stressful and unsustainable. PLEASE, just do fun exercise that you enjoy and the rest will follow! That was a long answer, sorry, but I feel SO passionately about the mindset behind positive, sustainable exercise.

What are your words of inspiration to the people out there who want to come but are still shy?

Ok so I am an asthmatic, I have cellulite, I am seriously shy in loads of situations and I absolutely HATE getting up early. And I'm running the flippin' sessions! So you KNOW you have a guaranteed ally if you think you're too unfit, or it's too early, or the idea of speaking to new people is horrendous.

I make Bearfit the sort of classes I want go to - massively positive and full of happy energy. You will be TOTALLY encouraged to move in ways that feel good. And if you hide at the back - I get it. And that's ok too :)

Get to know Carly in 5 questions:

Favourite food: porridge

Favourite Bristol place: it's gotta be the Bearpit!

Favourite exercise to carry out: spinning

Favourite words of inspiration: everyone you look at and think "I wish I had my life sorted like they do" well I guarantee at least 50% of them are looking at you thinking the same thing. So, y'know, chill.

If you could do any event in the Bearpit what would it be: a massive morning rave with DJ, glitter and compulsory unicorn dress-code

What are you waiting for?

Sara Venn sat down with us at Bearpit Social and spoke to us about the Bearpit Garden which she built with her team of volunteers of Incredible Edible Bristol!

We invited Sara in the Spring of 2014 to discuss the possibilities of creating a community garden for the space..

Today, the Bearpit Garden is one of the biggest, ongoing projects they've been working on and the attitude of her and her team of just powering forwards has been an inspiration to us all.

This week we thought we'd let Sara share the Good News of the Bearpit!

Sara:

There is a huge amount of work going on in our Bearpit garden. This garden is in a sunken roundabout in the centre of the centre of Bristol. For several years a group of great folk have been working to change the space from lost to loved, introducing cafes, artwork and play spaces to the space, and we are now creating a garden.

As if being in a sunken roundabout isn't enough, the space also has some severe social issues. Historically it has been a place where addiction and homelessness have been apparent with large groups often coming together down there.

At no point is the aim to alienate this community from the Bearpit, but more to make it feel like a safer, more inclusive space for the rest of the city's population. Introducing cafes, spaces for events, table tennis and skate boarding facilities to the area has made it more of a destination than a thoroughfare. It's become a great place to meet, drink tea and relax.

The aim of the garden is to create an oasis of calm in the city centre, regardless of the fact there are buses, cars and ambulances travelling around the roundabout at eye level in the garden!

There has been a whole lot of controversy around this garden. Many have asked why bother? Many have said what a waste of money it is, as it's inevitable that it will be trashed. There has been some substantial social media abuse.

Gut reaction has always driven me in these city centre designs, and the Bearpit has been no different. Whilst all the doubters and haters have been busy we, with our amazing volunteers, have quietly planted the trees, shrubs, perennials and 1500 bulbs. We've put in beautiful seats with planters attached. We've stripped walls of ivy and replaced them with beautiful climbers, and we've created a small nursery area where we are growing for all 37 gardens that we support.

We've made a central composting area and one of our great supporters is managing it and introducing a wormery to the space. And slowly an area that a year ago was sad, covered in black plastic and derelict, is beginning to bloom. And all the time the original community, those with hideous issues that have been brought about by family breakdown, mental health issues, addiction, and abuse, are becoming fierce protectors of the garden.

When we first began I was asked, "are you making us a garden?" to which the reply was yes, we're making a garden for everyone. Since that first day I have wondered regularly at the facts that whilst all around the garden gets tagged, the garden itself is never touched. There has been no vandalism, no plant loss, however convinced people were that it "wouldn't last a day". And we find the entire community in the garden, sitting on the seats, relaxing as the world goes by.

For me this is just another example of how powerful people are when they just get on with it. Everyone, including me, who has worked on this garden has done so voluntarily, including some great groups of corporate volunteers who always make a huge impact in a day. We've worked in pouring rain, in blistering heat and everything in between, and a community of community gardeners has joined the community of users of the Bearpit.

Often people ask me why I do this. What would make me work voluntarily for probably 80% of the week? And this is the answer. Working with people, individuals or communities, supporting them to make physical change in their own areas, supporting them to create beautiful, productive gardens in lost and unloved spaces, is an honour. And seeing those people bloom as they make that change is beyond an honour. Supporting good horticulture and upskilling people to learn more about gardens and plants is an honour. And creating change in a city centre, with gardens popping up all over, ensuring good design, appropriate planting and good horticultural practice is not just an honour but also an insight into how the city could look if horticulture was taken seriously. An honour.

The way the Bearpit garden is moving forwards shows it becoming a micro park. A calming area. Somewhere that will soak up water when it rains, buffer noise in the space in which it sits, works to cool the city. But most importantly it's a space for people, made by people, in order to make change, both social and physical.

Spring In The Bearpit was the first collaborative event held in the Bearpit since the Bearpit Bristol CIC came into being and merging the three businesses. Free and open to everyone, the event saw market stalls, street food, live music, dance and kids workshops. Making the Bearpit a more safe and inclusive space is at the forefront of all we do and we set about curating this event to bring people into the space to see how beautiful it is, and to encourage seeing the Bearpit as a destination.

Knowing that to create a safe and inclusive space we would need a core ethos of collaboration and diversity, this event enables us to invite key collaborators to the event as traders or as key stakeholders that support us. Bunting made for us by Cafe Sewciety was on show across the Bearpit and our communal benches arrived from our friends at Party benches. Traders who joined us on the day to add to the usual offerings from Bearpit Social, Bare Food and Bearritos were Buckland Burgers, Olive n Sage and Smoke Catering, all bringing their amazing street food to the space.

There was great music throughout the day provided by Yes Man Jellyfish, the Funkensteins, Sula Mae, Bashema, DJ Don't Sleep Collective, and Cleo Lake ran an inspirational dance workshop which showed the bearpit community coming together at it’s best and inspiring us all to take part.

We aim to support and encourage local, independent traders to new, regular markets in the Bearpit and at the Spring in the Bearpit event we welcomed Bristol Jam Plan, Good Sixty and Touch Massage.

Spring in the Bearpit is an important time. The new, community garden, designed by Incredible Edible Bristol’s Sara Venn and created by their volunteers, is coming into bloom, with colourful daffodils and tulips and the promise of the the exciting season that is to come. We are celebrating the return of the warm days with longer daylight hours and enjoying seeing people return to the space and using it to relax in, drinking coffee and using the new seating in the garden as well as the Grow Wild planters with seats. People are beginning to use the table tennis table again and generally use the space as a city centre park.

But we have more than that to celebrate. What is important to all of us who regularly work or volunteer in the space is the community and the people that make the Bearpit the space it is today. Over the last year working with a stakeholder group that is wide and diverse, including senior officers from Bristol City Council, Avon and Somerset Police, Bristol Drugs Project and more, we are committed to our vision of a safer Bearpit and we are pleased to see that through our planning and action the Bearpit is no longer in Bristol’s top 20 crime hotspots. We have a zero tolerance approach to any violence and harassment that might happen in the space and we believe this has lead to less incidents.

We were thrilled to hear our Mayor say this, “I pass through the Bearpit regularly and am pleased to see that it is improving.“

With this in mind we also celebrated signing the Zero Tolerance Pledge. Bristol Zero Tolerance is a new initiative set up by Bristol Women’s Commission working towards Bristol becoming a city free from gender-based violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation. Bristol is the first city in England to take on this challenge and what they want to achieve really inspired us.

In our vision in creating a Community Action Zone, diversity has to be at the core of it. Creating a space space for all members of the community is something we think about in all that we do. Bearpit Bristol CIC is proud to be employers of LGBT & BME staff and to see the representations of these minorities in the crowd made us proud.

Throughout the day the Bearpit was filled with laughter and smiles, children running through the garden and following the trail of the new pathway, with adults, teens and younger children all mixing to make the space dynamic, exciting and beautiful. We welcomed Councillor Paul Smith, Joanna Dainton from Bristol Waste and well as Kurt James and Adam Crowther from Bristol City Council all of whom were excited to see the space being so full of the positive atmosphere the music and street food traders were helping to create along with Bearpit Bristol CIC.

In total we estimated 1000 attendees got to enjoy and be part of Spring in the Bearpit. To make it happen we had all 15 staff, 1 intern, 6 stewards, 4 volunteers as well as Metropolis Security on duty.

The event could not have happened without the support from Bristol City Council, E-Spark, Unltd. and Resonance.

A celebration of and for the community

On Saturday 8th of April, Spring in the Bearpit will transform the St. James Barton Roundabout into a diverse and collaborative platform for some of the cities most exciting street food traders, organisations and performers.

Kicking off from noon, join us in a celebration of community spirit, perseverance and a new leaf for the Bearpit.

Spring in the Bearpit will be the biggest and greatest community event the St. James Barton Roundabout has ever hosted. As Bearpit Bristol it’s our aim is to establish the Bearpit as a destination in Bristol through trading, community activities, events & markets carrying on the work from the Bearpit Improvement Group.

The event will include street food traders, local charities and organizations, a wellbeing area, live performances of music and dance.

We will be signing the Zero Tolerance pledge. We believe it’s our duty of care to protect our 15 employees and the people who walk through and use the Bearpit during our trading hours. We see this as huge step forward in our vision to creating a safer and more welcoming Bearpit.

Local organization LitterARTI will be running the Bearpit’s first ever Kids workshop and the kick-start to our Community Action program that will involve painting, gardening and litter picking.

Metropolis Security return for the 4th time in ensuring Spring in the Bearpit will be a family friendly occasion for all.

The Bearpit businesses, Bearritos, Bearpit Social & Bare Foods merged their business end of last year to create Bearpit Bristol CIC. We were awarded the Resonance Bristol SITR Fund to turn our strategy and vision into a reality whilst growing our social impact in the space.

With the support of Bristol City Council in granting us a 7 year license to carry out our vision, Cabinet Member for Place at Bristol City Council, Cllr Helen Holland, said: “We recognise the hard work by Bearpit Bristol CIC to make their businesses succeed – and bring life to the Bearpit in sometimes challenging circumstances. Congratulations to them for their success in winning this investment from Resonance which will further assist Bearpit Bristol’s ability to play a fundamental role in making this space a part of the city that can grow and be enjoyed by everyone.”

Bearpit Bristol CIC is part of the Entrepreneurial Spark business accelerator program providing us with mentors, a wealth of knowledge and an office space. Spring in the Bearpit is partly funded by the #GoDo Awards where Robin Halpenny won a pitching competition sharing our vision of the Bearpit.

Spring in the Bearpit is our first community event of the year, with many more to come. We see our community events as a way of bringing people together from all walks of life in celebrating diversity and collaboration.

With the help of UnLtd, the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in the UK, we recently attended their Big Idea workshop in helping develop our Theory of Change to drive social change in the Bearpit.

The success of the Bearpit becoming a destination that is safe and welcoming will be a collective effort.

Olive n SageAnita and Giulia had one vision, to bring the flavours of Tuscany to Bristol and they are succeeding. Offering simple, pure and delicious Italian cuisine that their Grandmothers taught them, travel to the Tuscan hills sampling their food.

https://www.facebook.com/olivensage

Smoke CateringRobyn and Clare are no strangers to the Bearpit! We are excited to see Smoke Catering return to bring the mouth-watering taste of Texas to Spring in the Bearpit. With their iconic mobile smoker, they are sure to win your hearts and stomachs.

http://www.smokecatering.com/ @catering_smoke

Live Music & Performances:

BashemaGracing the Bearpit, Bashema is a jazz influenced soulful songstress with an edgy twist and kick-ass piano skills.https://www.bashema.com/

FunkinsteinsThe almighty Funkinsteins are a trio have crafted a truly original master sound. Blending funky dance music with sprinkles of rock. The music is tight and melodic and will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand firmly to attention. The band have been electrifying audiences across the country with their stage show, growing popularity and presence.http://www.funkinsteins.com/

Dance RiotCleo Lake will be bringing a dance riot to the Bearpit! Dance Riot is diverse and empowering journey through dance. Expect killer tunes, a good workout, accessible moves, self-expression, creativity and choreography. Don’t miss out on her workshop!https://www.facebook.com/DanceRiot

Yes Man JellyfishThe unique sound of Yes Man Jellyfish stands on the powerful grooves of house, garage and drum and bass. This is fused with uplifting piano, dynamic guitar, vibrant synths and soulful vocals. They have transformed their music into an energetic live show and we can’t wait to have them live in the Bearpit.https://www.yesmanjellyfish.com/

Don’t Sleep! DJ CollectivePlaying and promoting Hip Hop in Bristol since 2001. Don’t miss this Bristol based posse of DJs and promoters.www.mixcloud.com/DontSleepBristol

Wellbeing Area

Touch Talk MassageEsme and Imogen from Touch Talk and Tailored Massage are going to be joining us at Spring in the Bearpit, offering 15-minute taster sessions of Holistic Massage. The massages - seated and through clothes - will give passers by an opportunity to take a break from their day and to discover how holistic massage can help in becoming more connected with your body and achieving greater peace of mind. All massages will be followed by a complementary organic raw chocolate, hand-made by Esme.For more information go to www.touchtalkmassage.com

Freedom of MindFreedom of Mind C.I.C. was founded in 2016 by a group of young people who lived experience of poor mental health. Their aim is to initiate conversation, provide educational platforms and positively change the way that people talk about their own and others mental health. Visit their stall on the day to find out about their volunteering opportunities & more.

Kids Area

Join LitterARTI in a music workshop, creating and playing instruments made from reclaimed materials. A Bearpit first, a great opportunity for kids to get involved!

LitterARTI’s mission is to tackle environmental and social issues through the arts and creativity.

http://www.litterarti.com/

Feel Good local traders

Jam PlanBristol Jam Plan is a project run by volunteers to turn surplus or unwanted fruit & vegetables into delicious preserves on regular prep days. Lead by Danielle Coombes of Bishopston Supper Club (www.bishopstonsupperclub.com/) her mission is to spread the love and share the proceeds ­to various local shelters such as the Julian Trust, in partnership with Food Cycle Bristol.Show your support by grabbing a jar!

Good SixtySupporters of the Bearpit from the moment they started, Good Sixty allows people to discover the very best food available from their local food & drink shops. Whether it's an artisan producer, café, local deli, brewer, butcher, baker or greengrocer, if they are proudly independent and have high quality local produce, you will find them all on Good Sixty.

Visit their stall to find out more and sample produce from some of their retailers.www.Goodsixty.co.uk

All that's all that is left to say is.. see you from noon, this Saturday 8th April!

When we merged the Bearpit businesses, it was clear an Operations Manager was needed for us to focus on driving the social enterprise forward. The idea of an Operations Manager was thrilling and at the same time a little scary as we had all been so intricately involved in our businesses. Being owner operators was one of the reasons our businesses were so successful. We are big believers that people invest in people and so when Sarah applied, she stood out straight away. Her passion and drive was refreshing and we knew she needed to be part of our team.

How did you hear about Bearpit Bristol CIC?

I’ve been in Bristol for 11 years and have always walked through the area and seen the changes. Megabus changed its location so I fell upon the Bearpit Social for a pre journey bacon roll and coffee and loved it. Then I followed it on Facebook to keep updated.

What made you want to get involved with Bearpit Bristol?

The sense of community, and the commitment to make the area interesting, safe, exciting, full of life, amazing food, events...

What do you want to learn?

As much as possible. Professionally I want to learn how to manage the different areas of business, and work closely with the team to implement new ideas. For myself, I want to learn more about Bristol, and how to work with the community, and the charities, projects and organisations who are involved in the Bearpit.

How is working at Bearpit Bristol - describe your day to day?

So far it’s brilliant, the team are welcoming and the atmosphere is awesome with loads of potential! I don’t have a set schedule here, but I’m jumping around the three business and learning the ropes. I am spending time getting to know everyone and fix any there may be.

Finally, what has your best memory of the Bearpit been so far?

On a personal level it was a while ago when I came here with a mate during a photography workshop around the city, and sat in the sun eating tacos, I just remember thinking it was a cool space, and a bus that makes Mexican street food is my idea of fun.

Now that you’ve spent some time in the Bearpit getting to know the people and businesses, what would you envision your perfect summer Bearpit day?

We would have big sharing tables, and customers would be buying their lunches, coffee, fruit and smoothies from a choice from all three unique offerings but sitting together. There would be music in the background, and volunteers doing some gardening. It would be busy and bustling.

As Operations Manager, if you could have an event in the Bearpit what would it be?

I would love to see a regular morning yoga slot - and then people grabbing fresh fruit or juice afterwards.

Anything that would combine food and music ( so maybe a BBQ and DJ decks on the go) would also be something I would like to see!

What do you do with your free time?

Mostly spend time with mates, enjoying everything Bristol has to offer. And eating.

What habit are you proud of?

I will always over feed you if you come for dinner.

In ode to Bearritos, describe your dream burrito:

As spicy as possible. Chicken and Halloumi, lashings of hot salsa, jalapenos, smashed tortillas and loads of sour cream and of course GUACAMOLE

As our team grows, our responsibility grows. One of the social impact promises we are working towards is creating employment and provide training to help nurture young adults with practical skills. Having interns be part of our team gives us the possibility to potentially achieve both.

The university runs its own internship scheme to support current students and recent graduates up to six months after graduation wanting to gain quality, paid work experience. The UoB Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, including charities, social enterprises and start-ups.

For us to be eligible and having students apply was a great success in itself for being recognised and seeing the interest.

We sat down with Simmone Ahiaku, our Social Media & Communication intern supporting Miriam in spreading the Bearpit word out there!

“I’m very excited to work with Bearpit Bristol CIC because they are invoking social change within the city of Bristol. The Bearpit is an amazing space central to the culture of Bristol and I think it’s the perfect place to hold events and really showcase Bristol’s cohesive community that we all love and appreciate. Social enterprise is something I would like to go into after university and

I think working with Bearpit Bristol CIC will help equip me with the skills needed to be in the social enterprise realm as well increase my confidence in my own abilities - all while giving me fresh and interesting experiences that will leave me with plenty to talk about in applications and interviews.”

1. How did you hear about Bearpit Bristol CIC?

Through the Bristol university careers site. University of Bristol and Santander work together with small to medium enterprises and provide great internships that equip their students with the skill needed for future employment. I didn’t know the Bearpit even had an office or that the businesses worked together, and I read that they are all collectively working together along with other i.e. cleaners, police etc to transform the bearpit into a fun, family-friendly place- i knew i had to get involved!

2. What made you want to get involved with Bearpit Bristol

The bearpit is an amazing space that is not only central in location but is also a huge part of Bristol’s culture and people. I think we could put on amazing events there that will change people’s perception of the Bearpit. Social enterprise and working with people for the people is something i’d love to get into for my future profession and I couldn’t think of any internship better to equip me with all the skills needed

3. What will you bring?

Ideas! Some of them are outlandish and I’m not sure how I could ever make some of the ideas in my head tangible events but I think sometimes you do need some fresh crazy ideas to get yourself and other people to think out of the box! I love social media and although there is a lot to learn about it, I can operate basic social media tools like hootsuite and I can use social media networks efficiently. Finally, I’ll bring humour and my embarrassingly cringey bear puns- everyone loves a good bear pun.

4. What do you want to learn?

I want to learn how to really collaborate with people and businesses so we can work together to create amazing things at the bearpit. Different people and businesses come with new ideas and way of doing things which ultimately adds onto how great we can make the bearpit. I also would like to learn how to plan events and see all the planning that goes on, this will help me put my ideas into perspective and hopefully I can learn to turn the ideas in my head into actual events. Finally I’d love to be more social media savvy- i’d love to know what to post, when to post and know that our audience will love the content! I would love to have some knowledge on the more sophisticated social media tools and possibly get better at photoshop and design!

5. What are you working on right now with Bearpit Bristol?

We are currently working only launching and promoting ‘Bare Foods’ a new concept to the Bearpit that specialises in delivering fresh fruit, veg and produce to you office.

6. How is working at Bearpit Bristol- describe your day to day?

I love that I spend my days in and out of the office, it gets my legs working. For the most part, day to day is just scheduling social media. We work a week in advance so it’s just about organising what post goes where. I also go down to the Bearpit, see what’s going on there, interview people seeing what everyone else is doing.

7. What would you like to do after Bearpit Bristol?

Not too sure, definitely something within social enterprise. I really love how dynamic the days are and the fact that I am not cooped up in an office- the office is amazing though! Sustainability and food recycling is huge here in Bristol and I would love to work with an organisation that is raising awareness of these issues or is trying to combat these issues!

One of the most exciting things we are working on for the first quarter of the year is the development of Bare Foods. A new food concept store coming to the Bearpit this Spring.

Offering an exciting new fresh food options in the Bearpit, it will be a new reason to sneak out of the office.

Our first focus is expanding our fruit deliveries to offices with the added service of our bespoke snack boxes and catering options. Our website for Bare Foods has gone live this week, visit www.barefoods.co.uk to find out what our fruit packages are.

Some of you may know Bear Fruit as the fruit shop in the Bearpit with it’s famous £1 fruit bag. Our humble beginnings under a gazebo in 2012 helped us establish ourselves as purveyors of fresh fruit. Over the years Tina has done an incredible job in developing Bear Fruit to the business it is and Bare Foods is an evolutionary success.

In order to make it all happen we are expanding our team.

Joe Heginworth joined Team Bearpit to help us deliver our plan. His role will be the buying and delivering of fresh produce for the Bearpit, growing our deliveries to offices and helping us spread the Bearpit word.

Meet Joe!

We asked Joe a few questions..

What attracted you to apply for a job in the Bearpit?

I was attracted to the Bearpit because I wanted an exciting new challenge but also wanted to be part of an organisation that gives back to the community.

What's your background?

My background has been in hospitality and catering and have been managing different premises for over 10 years.

What are your interests?

My interests are gardening and horticulture I also love to travel and see the world.

Bare Foods fruit deliveries can cater for small, medium and large offices. Interested in a box? Simply visit www.barefoods.co.uk and get in touch!

Last year the traders of the Bearpit, Bearritos, Bearpit Social and ourselves merged our businesses to create Bearpit Bristol CIC - a social enterprise with the aim to establish the Bearpit as a destination in Bristol through trading & community activities, events & markets.

Supporting the businesses of the Bearpit directly supports the Bearpit as we endeavour to establish the Bearpit as a destination that is safe and welcoming.

Entrepreneurial Spark is the world’s largest free accelerator for start-up and scale-up businesses. Robin shares his experience on pitching, winning and what it means to be part of the program.

1. What is Entrepreneurial Spark and how did Bearpit Bristol get involved?

Entrepreneurial Spark is a free accelerator program for start-up and growing businesses. Their vision is to inspire and enable positive social changes through entrepreneuring. Social enterprises like Bearpit Bristol do have a place in their program. The Bristol "E-spark" hub helps enable many great Bristol businesses some of which we are hearing about now and others which we will be hearing about very soon.

Bearpit Bristol applied to E-Spark in 2016. We went through a rigorous and challenging entry process. We made it through and were offered a place on the program. The good people at E-Spark said this about our social enterprise,

"We see the improvements that are happening in the Bearpit. With Bearpit Bristol we also see their clear vision, dedication and strength of team. We believe we can enable them to accelerate their success and delivery positive social change."

2. How does the pitching competition work?

Pitching is a big part of E-Spark. Everybody pitches and the standard is really high. With the pitch competition there were a number of rounds voted on by seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts. From over 50 pitchers, only 8 made it through to the finals. The finals were held in the E-Spark event space. There were lights, cameras, a tough judging panel and the biggest audience I have ever pitched in front of.

3. What's the hardest part of pitching?

The challenge with pitching for me is getting the balance right. You've got to tell a story. Our story is about what people can do when they come together. It's about team. There's so much you want to say but only 1 minute (and not a second more) to say it. The pitch fails if it doesn't provide enough information but then again the pace and delivery has to be just right or it won't resonate. After that, there's no secret, you just have to practice.

Andy and Robin

4. What did it mean for you to make the finals?

I was really proud to be in the same final line up as inspiring businesses like Crowdreach, Rovco, Truestart Coffee, Freckles Childcare, Gympanzees, Hollywood Hero Hire and Tuffscreen. Many of these businesses are accelerating at pace, winning industry recognition, national and even global awards for their entrepreneurship. Though we were all competing the group was supportive with everyone smashing their pitches. I didn't think for a second I would win.

5. What does the prize money mean for Bearpit Bristol?

The Bearpit is not easy. It takes time and a lot of hard work. There are a lot of people involved and a lot of unsung heroes. There has been struggle and dogged perseverance. The prize will help celebrate how far the Bearpit has come and will mark the start of even more good things for the future. We're using the money to put on the Bearpit's biggest community event to date. It's open for all who use the space and all the people of Bristol. It will take place this spring. We've got a date planned but it's under wraps for now!

6. What can we expect from Bearpit Bristol this year?

Big things! More food, markets, events & community activities. With the support and collaboration of those around us we will help create a safe and welcoming destination. If you want to get involved please get in touch.

Entrepreneurial Spark works in collaboration with very special mentors, entrepreneurs and professional services businesses. From lawyers to accountants, from manufacturers to investors, they all add great real-time, real-life value to our entrepreneurs. Visit their website to find out more here!

On the 3rd December in conjuction with Small Business Saturday and a Bristol wide campaign to promote independence, the Bearpit traders (Bearritos, Bearpit Social & Bear Fruit) merged as one. We launched our social enterprise and we are pledging to give the Bearpit 7 years of all our attention to make it a safer and more welcoming space. Fingers crossed, together we will be stronger and it will be our mission to help change the perception people have of the space and inspire people to visit the Bearpit, use the different features (table tennis, community garden, traders) or just get involved to help us get things done. We envision the Bearpit as a true community action zone, breaming with collaboration with organisations across the city to bring the most exciting markets, events and community days.